We've taken a shine to creating Moon City Creative District

There are many ways to revitalize a city or a neighborhood. Springfield's Woodland Heights Neighborhood Alliance is reaching for the "moon."

The neighborhood organization is asking the City Council to approve a unique and creative proposal to turn the 15-block residential area north of Commercial Street into the Moon City Creative District.

Woodland Heights is a historic district of what was once North Springfield. It is filled with single-family homes, many filled with artists, designers and crafts­people.

With the support of the neighborhood residents, council should seriously consider approving this proposal. It could revitalize the area in ways that would also inject excitement and creativity - there and throughout the entire city.

The zoning change would allow artists to have studios and small retail spaces in their homes, inviting artists to host classes and art lovers to purchase one-of-a-kind pieces of local creativity. It would also allow artists to create a living-working space that could provide them affordable accommodations.

Like many other creative districts around the country, Woodland Heights is already home to many artists and creative people. They have organically formed a creative community.

The city now has an opportunity to support that community and take advantage of the creative energy already in place.

Woodland Heights has experienced many of the types of problems urban neighborhoods often face.

The neighborhood has older - but affordable - homes and an aging infrastructure - that includes the original brick sidewalks - and little evidence of typical urban renewal. It is cut off from the nearby C-Street and downtown business districts by a railroad that leaves few access roads - which leaves a neighborhood that is safe for walking or biking.

But some creative minds recognized that the quiet community could maintain its identity while still taking advantage the business areas that are just a walk over the picturesque Jefferson Avenue Footbridge. The area's own Lafayette Park, one of the oldest parks in the city, also provides a central spot for activities.

With the city's approval, the Moon City Creative District could breathe new life into this little neighborhood, just as similar districts have done in Paducah, Ky., tiny Salida, Colo., and big city Denver, all of which report incredible success.

When North Springfield got its nickname, Moon City, it was meant as an insult because scoffers believed that the city was as likely to get a railroad as it was that a railroad would be built to the moon.

They got the railroad, now let's shoot for the moon.

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We've taken a shine to creating Moon City Creative District

There are many ways to revitalize a city or a neighborhood. Springfield's Woodland Heights Neighborhood Alliance is reaching for the 'moon.'